The Sprout
March – ‘In like a lion…out like a lamb’
The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 115 March 2017
The Sprout
Issue 115, March 2017
Contents
3 Roman Road in Raleigh Park
5 Cumnor Choral
7 The People’s Power Station
9 Botley School – a father’s tribute
17 Farmability
19 OFAS – official update
23 Call on the Chemist - PPG
27 Super MAGGOT!!
31 Reflections – art exhibition
33 Planning Apps
35 Age UK in Botley
37 Supporting homeless people
41 Randoms
43 Local Organizations
From the Editor
It’s March, and Spring is definitely on the way! In contrast to last month’s
Sprout, dense with meaty articles giving the lowdown on all the main
developments around Botley, this issue has a more creative bent. Our
opening article recounts the exciting discovery of a Roman Road in Raleigh
Park (p.3) and traces its route towards Wantage. An unexpected treat was
an article from a parent at Botley School comparing his daughter’s education
to his own, greatly to Botley’s advantage (p 9); the young author of Superfly
has taken up her pen (or possibly laptop) to give us the last part of the trilogy
– Son of Superfly, viz. Super MAGGOT!! (p27) and there is an account of the
latest art exhibition at Ss Peter & Paul’s (p31). If you’re looking for something
to do, volunteers are needed at the farm at Wytham (p17), Over-50s can
socialize or sort out their gadgets at the new drop-ins being run by Age UK
(p35), there’s singing with Cumnor Choral (p5) or registering your solar
panels with the People’s Power Station. It would be great to see this new
website lit up by all the solar arrays on Botley’s roofs – currently all it shows
are Matthew Arnold and Botley Schools. Then there’s useful info from the
PPG on when a visit to the Chemist can save queues at the Doctor’s (p23),
and the Environment Agency has weighed in with the latest on the Flood
Alleviation Scheme (p19). Finally, we no longer need to feel helpless in the
face of homelessness – on p 37 there’s a useful table which shows you who
to contact if you know someone who needs assistance (p 37).
Ag MacKeith
Roman road in Raleigh Park
It has long been thought that a Roman road ran through North Hinksey,
starting from the 'oxen ford' over the Thames near Osney, and ending
near Wantage.
The road ran
from the ford
behind the
Fishes (the
causeway on
the east side of
the stream is on
the same line),
up Harcourt Hill
close to the
existing road
then continues
as tracks
through a gap
between Hen
Wood and
Cumnor Hurst
on the way to
Besselsleigh
where it turns
south on the line of the A338. It passes a large Roman complex at Frilford
thought to be a ritual site and possibly containing a very early church
before disappearing near Wantage. If you put a ruler on the map you can
see very straight alignments of roads and bridleways indicating the
original line of the Roman road as the map above shows. In particular,
there are very straight sections of the bridleway which runs from the top
of Harcourt Hill to the Cumnor–Abingdon road.
Best of all, a 150m long section of the Roman road is clearly evident
under the turf now the grass has been cut as part of the Wild Oxford
improvements of Raleigh Park. The road runs around 20m from and
parallel to the current road up Harcourt Hill as far as the Harcourt Hill
entrance to Raleigh Park. The agger (raised and metalled curved road
surface) with a ditch each side are very distinctive. The hard surface of
the road can be probed under the turf in the middle of the agger. It was
usually made with a base of rammed down stones with gravel on top.
There are pictures on our website at raleighpark.org.uk
Roman pottery was identified in fields beside the road near Chilswell
Lane in the 1920s, and also on the slopes of the Hurst in 2014, so who
knows what may yet be discovered?
D R Brown, Secretary, Friends of Raleigh Park.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cumnor Choral Society
Inaptly named, as it happens, since
nearly all our singing activity takes
place in Botley. But with a dynamic
musical director, Peter Foster, our
only goal is bigger and better, and
SS Peter and Paul, Botley, suits our
events very well. Have you been to
one of our concerts? Not only will you be entertained by the choir, but by
semi and professional soloists and musicians. Included in the ticket price
are free refreshments after the concert in the church hall, making it a great
social occasion as you mix with friends and performers.
On April 1st 2017, we will be performing a programme of baroque music,
including Haydn’s Little Organ Mass and Mozart’s Vespers. We are going
to be accompanied by Oxybaroxy, the baroque orchestra of Oxfordshire’s
youth music service. This dynamic combination promises to be a sell-out
occasion, so book your tickets early from Caroline Cockman on
cockman.caroline@gmail.com
We are always looking for new members, and welcomed ten new voices
last term. One remarked, ‘this is the nicest choir I’ve ever sung with.’ Join
us and find out why! Sociable and earnest in our rehearsals, we like to
eat out together and all help out on concert nights: everybody has a role
to play. If you’re tempted to try us out, you can join at any time, even if
rehearsals have started. Fear not, there are no auditions! Call me on
01235 533726 or email me on marion.owen@mypostoffice.co.uk I’d love
to hear from you!
Marion Owen, chairman
Plugging into the People's Power Station
The Low Carbon Hub has launched the People’s Power Station to show
the collective impact of all of the renewable energy generation in
Oxfordshire. The solar PV arrays at Matthew Arnold School and Botley
Primary were among the first to be plugged into the online interactive
map. The aim is to build up a picture of all the renewable energy across
Oxfordshire.
Now they are calling on households, schools and businesses in
Oxfordshire to tell them about their installations, so they can track
progress towards Oxfordshire's renewable energy future. This is our
chance to show the big impact of our own patch. So if you’ve got solar
panels on your house, you can log them via the online form at
www.peoplespowerstation.org
One of the goals of our local
Neighbourhood Plan, currently in
progress, is to make Botley as
sustainable as possible. Having
existing solar arrays logged on the
People’s Power Station will make it
easier to find the gaps. So do please
add your solar PVs and encourage
your friends and neighbours to do
the same.
As well as building up a picture of
locally owned renewables in the
County, the map is also enabling
people to see the ‘real time’ energy
generation from some of the larger
installations in our area. These
include the community-owned
solar PV arrays on our local
schools and Osney Lock Hydro.
The tables show the power
generation from Matthew Arnold
and Botley schools. [ Sharp eyes
will have noticed some
discrepancies – if you know the
reason, please share it! Editor]
From Inner-City America to Outer Oxford
A father’s thoughts about his children’s schooling at Botley School
I moved to the UK in 2004, and at the time my only real impressions about
the British educational system was whatever I had gleaned from Pink
Floyd’s The Wall, and from various Victorian and Edwardian novels: a
suspicion or sense of repression and of blanding young people out,
bashing away their creativity and turning them all out the same. So when
my children started school in Botley I was naturally curious to see if this
culture or theme was true or was holding out and surviving.
My only other reference to go by was my own educational experience
which was an extreme contrast to the healthy and supportive environment
I’ve seen at Botley School. How on earth can I begin to explain it?...
Well, first off, my primary school was one of the first primary schools in
America to have metal detectors at the gates. It was a very rough inner
city school, which had been made progressively worse over decades by
underfunding. This caused more problems at the school, which was used
to justify more funding cuts, causing more disadvantage, and which
resulted in more funding cuts – and so on in a vicious cycle.
My primary and middle schools
were fairly violent places, and by
the time I got to high school there
weren’t just metal detectors, there
were also two, permanently
stationed, armed police officers on
site. There was no effective bullying
or violence policy, and reporting
bullying was more likely to land the
victim in trouble than the offender.
The principal of my primary school
took a pretty unusual and brave
decision, which actually improved
things considerably. My school
began to engage with groups that
mainstream America saw as quite
radical, even borderline terrorist,
groups: The Black Panthers, The
Guardian Angels, Universal Zulu
Nation, and I am sure others whose names and deeds I have not
remembered as well.
The Guardian Angels were these easily identifiable volunteers in red
berets who would ride buses on the school route and essentially did
things you’d expect a Police Community Support Officer to do nowadays
in the UK.
The Black Panthers were a fairly militant black power group, but they
were also the group that pressed for children in America to have the right
to a meal at school. This was apparently a very hard fought political
struggle, but one that was won long before I started school myself. When
I was going to school they were trying to save things they started, such
as breakfast clubs to help working parents and healthy lunches for school
children, as those programmes were being cut and decimated by the
Reagan Administration.
I wasn’t aware of all that politicking and fighting for school programmes,
but the Black Panthers would come into my school and give away free
clothes. I remember once being driven to the dentist by a Black Panther
when I had an appointment during school hours. So they were obviously
volunteering at my school in many different ways.
But the one group I really remember
vividly, and was extremely excited
about, was Universal Zulu Nation.
My school felt like a very dangerous
place and it felt abandoned. I
remember broken windows, leaky
roofs, no working air conditioning
and no working heating. I remember
that a school some miles down the
road got money for a spiral
staircase and Apple Computers .
We didn’t get money to fix large
holes in the roofs of our
“temporary”, “portable” classrooms,
even when parts of the roof had
given up entirely and fallen to the
floor in a big squelchy mess of
sodden insulation.
So these Universal Zulu Nation guys come into our school and get a big
assembly. And they start telling us that if you stab someone, all you
proved is that you’ve got a knife. And they deconstructed how violence
always makes the outcome worse for everyone. But most people would
leave that as sort of an empty message: no follow up other than “Be
nice”.
These guys tapped into the frustration and sense of directionlessness,
and they continued their message in an amazingly positive way. The
children were using violence to compete and assert themselves, so they
started a programme to give kids the tools and inspiration to compete
against others and improve themselves. This was an after school
programme which taught basketball, graffiti art, street dancing,
turntablism, rapping, and many other skills which were all directly relevant
to what young people were enthusiastic about at that time.
The message was clear: you can be a better artist, you can dance better,
you can mix records faster, you can have tighter rhymes, more smooth
singing, you can make baskets from further away – there is something
you can do better than your peers, or you can compete with just yourself,
and you can improve yourself. This message was very important because
I’m sure a lot of these kids had never been given any positive
reassurance, or told they could achieve anything. There was a positive
and creative force at my school from
that day. It didn’t make my school
perfect. We still had the metal
detectors, we still had gangs, we still
had violence, but there were a lot of
kids who got the message and they
started seeking alternatives and being
creative.
Whereas before my school only felt like
a grim, dangerous, and desolate place
– it was now a place where the
creative, the surprising, and the
delightful was possible. This
experience was highly formative. For
the rest of my educational career,
wherever the Arts programme was at
my school, that’s where I was. I did
courses in photography, media production, and did four years of
drama at High School. Seeing the positive outcome from unleashing
the intense creativity of young people made a life-lasting impact on
me
And so….
Let’s come back to Botley School.
What can I say about this place in our community?
I’ve attended assemblies, nativity plays, discos, open days, world food
festivals, and sports days. Seeing young people active and doing so
much in so many different arenas, and all sharing this positive, healthy
environment together – it’s amazing!
The atmosphere, teaching and culture of Botley School have deeply
impressed me.
The children I’ve met at Botley School have all expressed themselves
as thoughtful, considerate, and kind people. And you can tell that they
are very happy and feel very supported and cared for at their school.
For me it’s uplifting to see a school experience that works, and to get
a glimpse of what that sort of school looks like.
When I started going to the assemblies, I was privileged to see how
the students were always coming up with amazing visualizations and
expressions of what they were learning and discussing in class. In all
honesty I think I was even more proud and excited than my daughter
herself was when she was presented with a Blue Peter badge in front
of her school. I think it’s wonderful that children have a platform to
share their achievements with their peers; I have witnessed many
children get awards in martial
arts, ballet, swimming, piano – to
name a few examples.
The creativity and fun from
students (and teachers!) at
Botley School has brought back
a lot of good memories for me
and created many more.
Charles Daniels
Could you help us at FarmAbility?
FarmAbility is a place where adults with autism and learning disabilities
can take part in meaningful activities that improve their well-being and
increase their independence, enabling them to participate better in their
own communities. It is a programme run by the charity, the Farm
Inspiration Trust, whose vision is to change the lives of adults and
children through real experiences on working farms. We call our clients
‘co-farmers’, and they engage in a range of useful work: collecting the
eggs, looking after the horses, walking the dogs, cooking and gardening.
Each week, around 30 ‘co-farmers’ come and help with grading and
packaging the eggs, growing vegetables and cooking lunch with them,
feeding and grooming the horses and doing crafts. Activity sessions are
facilitated by four part-time staff, supported by dedicated volunteers with
useful skills to share. Other volunteers support the management team
and trustees with skills like book-keeping, administration, social media
and fundraising.
We are very
grateful to our
volunteers and
our co-farmers
love having
them around
and make them
feel like part of
the FarmAbility
family. As we
expand our
programme, we
would welcome
the support of
more volunteers.
Could you help us? At the moment, we are looking for people with
cooking skills, who could turn our produce into soup/salad lunches.
If this sounds like you, please contact Sarah (sarah@farm-
ability.org.uk) and arrange to come along for a visit and discuss your
skills.
Clare Farley
Flood Alleviation Scheme – Official Update
The Environment Agency, keen that we should be thoroughly well-
informed, have sent us this up-date: As many of you will be aware, the
Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme aims to reduce flood risk to properties
across the city, from Botley Road at the top end of the scheme, down to
Old Abingdon Road (by Redbridge) at the bottom end of the scheme. It
also has several other benefits including reducing the risk of flooding to
major transport routes in and out of the city, and protecting electricity
substations, broadband internet supply, schools and businesses.
The scheme will work by creating more space in the existing floodplain
for flood water, moving it away from the built-up areas of the city. To do
this we will create a new channel, which will consist of a narrow, deep
section of river in the middle which will always carry water, and a wider,
shallower section next to it, which will fill up during a flood. This is known
as a two-stage channel. Flood water will not move any more quickly than
it does now and flood risk downstream of the city will stay the same.
The scheme is being developed in partnership by Oxfordshire County
Council, Oxford City Council, Vale of White Horse District Council,
Thames Water, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, University of
Oxford, local flood group Oxford Flood Alliance, the Thames Regional
Flood and Coastal Committee, and the Environment Agency. They have
been working on it together since 2014.
We are now at the stage of finalising the design of the scheme. It’s been
a long journey to get to this point, and we have worked with landowners,
the public and individuals through various stages of the project. The route
was determined in early 2016, following consultation with landowners and
then the wider public on various technically designed and modelled
options. We needed to find a route which would reduce flood risk
effectively, which was economically viable, safe to construct, and which
minimised impact on both landowners and the wider community. We have
now settled on the route and it can be seen on the map on our
website:www.gov.uk/government/collections/reducing-flood-risk-in-
oxford-and-abingdon .
The landowners, who will obviously be most affected by the scheme,
have been heavily consulted. We have tweaked the route and altered the
design in various areas to try and suit their needs and to minimise the
impact on their land, whilst still designing an effective scheme. We will
continue to work with them to try and resolve some of the issues around
how the land can be used once the scheme is in place. One of the main
topics of discussion is around the fencing which currently runs east-west
across the fields in the scheme area. We can’t replace this like for like
after the scheme, as the fences would act as barriers during a flood,
collecting debris and causing flood risk to increase elsewhere. We are
currently working with the landowners, looking at options for different
styles of fencing which could be used instead.
The current route through Botley and North Hinksey travels from north of
Botley Road, where it will draw water under Botley Road, down the
existing Seacourt Stream which we will widen in places, and through a
two-stage channel on Hinksey Meadow (i.e., the Preservation Trust
meadow across the Seacourt Stream from North Hinksey Lane). Here the
route will continue to travel along the west of the meadow until just before
Willow Walk, when the new channel will split from the Seacourt Stream.
We will need to remove some of the trees on the Eastern bank of the
river, in order to keep the channel as close to the edge of the meadow as
possible, protecting the rare MG4 grassland. At Willow Walk, we will be
putting in a bridge where the current culverts are, to cross a new wider
channel. We know that Willow Walk is a well-used and loved path from
North Hinksey into the city, therefore the design of the bridge here will be
part of the public consultation in May this year.
In the coming weeks, we will be getting in touch with residents in North
Hinksey, as well as the schools whose pupils we know use Willow Walk
to hear their views on the details of the proposals. The public consultation
will run from 5 May to 6 June, and will be an opportunity to for all local
residents and anyone interested to get a further update on the scheme,
as well as providing feedback on some of the specific details. All the
information will be available online as well as an online response form,
and in addition we will hold a series of public events, in venues close to
the scheme area:
2–8pm 11 May – West Oxford Community Centre, OX2 0BT
2–8pm 12 May – South Oxford Community Centre, OX1 4RP
We hope to see many of you at these events. In the meantime, to find out
more about the scheme, you can visit our webpage (see above), see our
Facebook page www.facebook.com/oxfordscheme/ or follow us on twitter
https://twitter.com/OxfordFAS. Or you can email your questions to us on
oxfordscheme@environment-agency.gov.uk
Laura Littleton
Call On the Chemist
Hardly a day goes by without something in
the media about increasing pressure on
GP surgeries and hospitals. Here we are
in the cold early months of 2017, with
NHS Crisis on every front page, it seems.
In thinking about this 'crisis', I was
reminded of a particular experience I'd
had: A few years ago, I was prescribed
medication (drops) for an eye condition,
medication of an essential nature, to be taken daily. We were just about
to go on holiday, travelling by plane.
As we were packing, I realized that the medication's label stipulated that
it always be kept in cold conditions, in a fridge, if possible. You can
imagine the problems that presented, and I wondered if before flying I
would have to consult my GP. But first I turned to our local pharmacy, in
hopes that the pharmacist could advise. I was not disappointed: she
confirmed the controlled temperature necessity, but also was able to
suggest practical ways of safely transporting the drops. End of worry and
no need to go to the GP.
So, back to today's 'crisis.' I wondered in what other ways a pharmacist
could be the first port of call? I had a long and revealing conversation
with our local pharmacist, who said that every year, there are more and
more directives from the NHS expanding the role of the pharmacy, in
order to help relieve pressure on GP surgeries. Here's a partial list: Flu
Jabs; Diabetes Tests**; Smoking Cessation Therapy; Cutting Down on
Alcohol Consumption; Advice on Safe Sex; Emergency Contraception;
Travel Vaccines; Queries about Medication being taken (e.g., side
effects; allergic reactions; can it be combined with other medication, etc.);
Repeat Prescriptions; Blood Pressure Testing**; Cholesterol Checks**
**(patients should report results of such tests to their GP)
She told me that a pharmacist is qualified to suggest treatment, to
suggest measures, and to sell medication provided it is not prescription
only, i.e., if it can be bought over the counter (even if sometimes
prescribed by a GP). She said, too, that the pharmacist is able (and keen)
to conduct annual medication reviews, for people taking more than 1 type
of medication for chronic conditions, or on high-risk medication. Such a
review is initiated by the pharmacist, having been flagged up on a
computer file held for each such patient. To my raised eyebrows on
that last statement, she assured me that such files are accessible only
to staff at that particular chemist's. Naturally, there is no obligation on
patients who prefer not to have such a review. It is important that a
patient does not confuse such a medication review with the one with
their GP.
And what about other possible roles for pharmacists? When could we
approach them first, before going to the GP surgery? “In a lot of cases,”
replied the pharmacist – for example: with almost any sort of pain; for
eye infections; allergies; indigestion and related symptoms; coughs and
colds. Obviously, there are certain areas in which the pharmacist
immediately suggests that you consult a GP. But, “We get trained for so
many years, and are here to help,” she emphasised, adding that the
ancillary staff also are qualified to advise on minor complaints. I learnt
that the general staff at a pharmacy are more than conventional sales
assistants; they all get basic clinical training as Health Care Assistants.
In the words of this particular pharmacist, “One of my main roles is to
relieve the pressure on doctors, to give doctors more time for essential
medical work.” And here's what Dr Keith Ridge, NHS Chief
Pharmaceutical Officer, recently had to say: “Everyone agrees that
community pharmacy is being held back by outdated working practices
and an old-fashioned view of the pharmacist as someone who simply
dispenses medicines at the back of the shop, rather than as a trained
clinical professional who provides specialist advice to patients and
doctors from a professionally-orientated clinical environment. We want
to work with the profession to change that and, rather than increasing the
burden on GPs, the aim is to allow community pharmacists to take a
greater NHS role in helping patients.” While there ARE many times when
ultimately it is the doctor you need to see, I came away with a clear
message: If you, as a patient, are unsure, try the pharmacist first.
Ruth Cameron (for Botley Medical Centre Patient Participation Group)
[Note: Now that Kennington Surgery has had to close, the Botley Medical
Practice has stepped in to fill the gap. They have already recruited one
new GP and are interviewing others, as well as another Advanced Nurse
Practitioner. These will be working at Kennington when the new
arrangements take over in April. The PPG supports this initiative. Editor]
Super MAGGOT!!!!
Once in a faraway land Superfly was prowling around looking for scraps
.when he saw another fly looking for scraps. It was a female and Superfly
went absolutely Bonkers !
"You are the Lady of my Dreams", said Superfly, "Do you want to
marry me?"
"I know you! You're Superfly the King! Of course I will!" she gasped.
Four years passed and the wife was
going to have a baby boy. Soon the baby
was born and Superfly's wife called him
Max. Did you know baby flies are
Maggots?
This is Max when he was born.
One bright sunny day Dad and Mum
flew out to get some food at the fish
and chip shop. But oh what a mistake that was! The old man, their
enemy from before, was the owner of the shop! They tried to dodge
his terrifying electric net, but this time the man had help from an
enormous spider. As the parents backed away they got tangled into
the sticky web. If Max didn't arrive soon his mum and dad would
get eaten by the fanged Spider who was already wrapping them up
for dinner!
Meanwhile back at home Max had discovered that his parents had
gone out, but they had been gone for nearly an hour! He set off to look
for them. He knew he would have to have super powers to get into
town (due to SLOW MAGGOTS!!!). So he went to the swamp, hoping
to also have magical powers. Unfortunately it was all dried up! How
was he going to help his parents now? Suddenly a bright light
flashed in his head. He saw pictures – his parents were in danger.
A man was holding a knife and chopping up fish. Max realized this
was his super power, and the place he should go to was the smelly
fish and chip shop down the road. This time he saw words that said
YOUR PARENTS ARE IN TROUBLE.
Suddenly he had a brainwave. The Man was scared of wasps! He
could phone Winnie, Wonka, Wilber and Willobe, the Wasps, to
frighten him. So he would have enough time to unwrap his mum
and dad from the sticky web. Max phoned his mates and dashed to
the fish and chip shop, hoping he was not too late.
When they got there the man was holding a large kitchen knife and
swinging it around, wildly. "You’re done for Superfly!" he yelled. "Not
so fast!" came a voice. "Who said that"? demanded the man. Max
secretly told the wasps to throw the villain. "ARRRRGH" shouted the
poor man who was being shook around by the super strong wasps.
Soon the wasps let go and the silly man was shot to Mexico in
half a second.
Max suddenly saw more pictures! The man had rushed to get on a
plane in Mexico and was hurrying back! Max told the wasps to block
the door. But wait! – the man held a plastic bottle which said
WASP KILLER THIS STUFF IS GREAT TO KILL WASPS WHEN YOUR
HOUSE IS FULL OF THEM! WARNING: KEEP AWAY FROM KIDS!
Max rushed to tell the wasps but it was too late. The air now stank
of WASP KILLER. The man rushed forward and looked around. He
couldn't see Max but Max could see him. Max felt sorry for the wasps and
it was all his fault.
The man suddenly spotted him and approached. He had another
bottle that the little maggot had not noticed at all. It was MAGGOT
KILLER. Just as the evil man was about to spray, his phone rang.
It was his strict Granny. Max took the bottle and swapped it for an
empty one. When the man had finished talking to his Gran, he tried
spraying it but the bottle being old was too stiff to spray ! When he
was trying to spray it, Max got his mum and dad from the web. The
good Spider helped unwrap the mum and dad a bit and said "I
don't like the old man. I was pretending that I like to eat flies. But they're
revolting. I prefer fish and chips!”
The family managed to escape. There
was a party given to Max for saving
his father, Superfly, and his mother.
Now Max is mostly called SUPER
MAGGOT!
By Leah Detheridge, aged 8
This is the wife and Superfly sunbathing!
Reflections
Botley Arts are pleased to present an exhibition of paintings by local artist,
Jenny Holloway, who was born and educated, and still lives in Botley.
"Some show one boat, some contain two boats and in a number of
pictures there is no boat at all. You can see the far bank across a stretch
of water;
possibly a
river,
possibly a
lake. What
you see is
entirely up to
you. The idea
is that the
boat is
waiting for
you to go
aboard.
When aboard
you have the
following
options: you may go to the left or you may go to the right or may decide
to go forward to explore what is on the far bank. It is all in your head.
However, what you are not allowed to do is turn the boat around and go
back. Never go back; always have the bows of your boat pointing to the
future."
Jenny was born in the very cold December of 1947. At school age she
attended Botley Primary School, followed by Matthew Arnold (when it was
called a Secondary Modern). Jenny's working life has been in the
National Health Service at various Oxford Hospitals. She was married in
St Lawrence's Church North Hinksey, and continues to live happily in
Botley.
The exhibition is open from Sunday 5 March 2017 to Friday 5th May 2017.
St Peter and St Paul's Church is open daily until 5pm. Admission is free
(and please do sign the visitor's book). For further information, or to
enquire about exhibiting art work, please contact me on 07891 905165 or
email jennie@talk21.com
Jennie Hopkins
LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P16/V3173/FUL
62A West Way. Conversion of attic into
flat, reform roof, add dormers, form 3rd
parking space and widen access.
Target decision date 10 March
13 January
P17/V0094/LDP
27 Cope Close. Conversion of garage
to ancillary living accommodation.
16 January
TDD: 16 Mar
P17/V0151/HH
29 Laburnum Road. Single storey rear
extension.
20 January
TDD: 17 Mar
P17/V0164/LDP
36 Poplar Road. Loft conversion and
single storey extension.
25 January
TDD: 25 Mar
P17/V0205/FUL
Land adjoining no 16 Yarnells Road.
Erect 3-bed bungalow & access drive.
26 January
TDD: 23 Mar
P17/V0172/HH
73 Laburnum Road. Erection of rear
single storey extension.
31 January
TDD 28Mar
P17/V0338/HH
1 Maple Close. 2 Storey side extension
10 Feb
TDD: 7 Apr
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Age UK Oxfordshire,
at home in Botley
We would like to take this
opportunity to introduce
ourselves to you. Mandy
and Sonia are your local
information workers
covering the Vale area,
working for Age UK Oxfordshire. We offer a wealth of information and
advice, ranging from benefits advice to help around the house or local
social opportunities. We can offer a home visit and we do arranged talks
to groups about Age UK Oxfordshire and the services we provide. We
are a large charity with lots of services to help.
We have different activities and exercise groups running within Botley
and would like to highlight a couple of new or changed groups for you.
Please do come along and support these groups, and say hello to Mandy
and Sonia. First, a NEW Coffee morning taking place at Field House in
the lounge, which is open to both residents and non-residents:
NEW – Drop in to Field House, West Way, Botley
1st Thursday of the month, 10 –11.30am, starting on 2nd February 2017
There is a charge of £1 for tea/coffee and biscuits. This is an opportunity
to socialise and to make new friends, and we will be running occasional
activities for those who would like to try something new.
Drop in to Barclays Bank, next to Ss Peter and Paul’s Church
2nd and 4th Tuesdays of a month – 10am-12pm. At these FREE
sessions for the over-50s, Age UK Oxfordshire will be providing help, tips
and tuition on using laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Our friendly
volunteer will be there to guide you towards getting the most out of these
21st Century gadgets. Phone Stephen for more information on 07827
235450
If you need any further information about these new events or anything
else that we might be able to help you with, then please do not hesitate
to contact us. Our details are: Mandy Richens – 07827 235429, email:
amandarichens@ageukoxfordshire.org.uk and Sonia Robinson – 07827
235414, email: soniarobinson@ageukoxfordshire.org.uk
Supporting People who are Homeless
The number of rough sleepers in Oxford increased by 50% in the year to
November 2015. The council has completed its November 2016 rough
sleeper count, but the figures aren’t available yet: there is every indication
that the number of rough sleepers will have increased again sharply, in
part because of the closure of one of Oxford’s three hostels last February.
Simon House, the second of the three Hostels, is due to close shortly
alongside other homeless services, leaving only O’Hanlon House. So
you may well see more homeless people in the future, either sleeping
rough or ‘sofa surfing’ with friends and family.
The best way of helping homeless people is to donate money to existing
homeless services like Oxford Homeless Pathways (OxHoP). There are
also many possibilities for volunteering, both with OxHoP and with the
other charities listed below. However if you are aware of someone
specific who needs help, here is some advice.
Please ensure your own safety first: many homeless people have
mental health problems, many have been to prison, and many take drugs
which make them act chaotically. It is probably better to signpost them
to specialist services rather than get involved directly. Below is
information about these services.
If you are
concerned
about…
… then
Somebody
sleeping
rough within
the Oxford
City
boundary
contact the
Oxford Street
Population
Outreach Team
(Oxford SPOT)
on 01865 304611
Somebody
sleeping
rough in
other parts of
Oxfordshire
Contact the ‘COS
team’ at
Connection
Support on
01865 711267
If you are
concerned
about…
… then
Somebody
needing food
send them to the
Gatehouse, 10
Woodstock Rd,
OX2 6HT, 01865
792999
… or Steppin’
Stones / The
Porch, 139
Magdalen Rd,
OX4 1RL, 01865
251798
… or O’Hanlon
House, Luther
Street OX1 1LU,
01865 304600
You can also
suggest that the
person get a food
bank voucher
from their doctor,
social worker, Job
Centre, Citizens
Advice Bureau
etc.
Somebody
needing
medical help
Send or take
them to Luther
Street Medical
If you are
concerned
about…
… then
Centre, Luther
Street OX1 1LU,
01865 726008
Somebody
needing to
shower or
wash their
clothes
send them to
Steppin’
Stones/The
Porch, as above
… or O’Hanlon
House, as above
Somebody
needing
clothes
Steppin’ Stones,
O’Hanlon House
or Gatehouse
Somebody
who wants to
come off a
drug or
alcohol
addiction
send them to
Turning Point,
27-29 Rectory
Road, OX4 1DU,
01865 261690
Somebody
wanting to
get support,
learn new
skills or fill
their time
constructively
send them to
Crisis, Old Fire
Station, 40
George Street,
OX1 2AQ, 01865
263900
… or Stepping
Stones, as above
… or O’Hanlon
House, as above
… or Aspire, St.
Thomas School,
Osney Lane OX1
1NP, 01865
204450
Randoms
Annual Parish Meeting, 16th March
This annual event is our chance to tell North Hinksey Parish Council what
a terrific job they are doing! Send any questions to the clerk a few days
ahead of the meeting via the NHPC website, so they have time to
research the reply. Be There or Miss Out!
Seacourt Hall latest
As a result of the delays in starting works on the Botley Centre
redevelopment, Seacourt Hall Management Committee are now taking
bookings until at least June. They will inform regular users and
parishioners of the moving date as soon as that has been fixed.
News from Botley WI
In February Mike Payne told us the "Story of a very special memorial
window" to Burma Star veterans on the Isle of Wight. Our next meeting
will be on Tuesday 7 March when the speaker, Liz Woolley, will tell us
about "Beer, sausages and marmalade." The Walking group will meet at
Osney Bridge 10:00 on 16 March to follow the river to Iffley. Craft evening
on 21 March will progress our new banner. Book group is on 22 March.
Want to live on a boat?
There’s a Residential Mooring available to rent at Swinford, between
Eynsham and Pinkhill locks, near the toll bridge. To know more, contact
Megan on 01865 269172, quoting “OPT Swinford Mooring” There is also
a non-residential mooring slot at Godstow. Phone the same number, but
quote ‘OPT Godstow Mooring’.
NHHS offers a fun day out
N. Hinksey Horticultural Society is going to the MALVERN SPRING
FESTIVAL on Sunday 14th May.
.
The cost will be £25pp [this includes
entry & coach fares] Leaving the Seacourt Bridge bus stop at 8 30 am
We plan to be home no later than 6 30pm. This is a fantastic day out for
all the Family. If you have never been it is worth a day out. Not all of it is
Horticultural, there are lots of other things to see . Contact me ANN
DYKES by Phone Ox 251821 Please leave a contact no. Email
anndykes1@outlook.com Or if you see me just ask. And do it S.A.P. to
Book YOUR Place. Hope to hear from you soon Ann.
Mum and Baby Yoga
Dean Court Community Centre, Mondays at 10.30. Suitable for babies
from six weeks to pre crawling Email yogawithjacqueline@hotmail.com or
https://yogawithjacqueline.co.uk.
Willow Walk
Those who have noticed tree works along Willow Walk will be reassured
to learn that the City Council’s tree people are up to nothing more than
managing the decline of these ‘single aged over mature willows with
noted defects’ and keeping passers by safe from falling branches.
They have highlighted places along the footpath that will provide good
opportunities for replanting trees for next year (Nov-Mar), and left some
willow staves driven into the ground which will hopefully regrow and form
new trees.
They have also left habitat piles along the verges using wood produced
from the works to provide foraging and habitat for woodpeckers and other
wildlife. They would also like to put up bird and bat boxes in the trees but
this will depend on whether they can get funding and also on finding
volunteers to help construct them perhaps linked to this summer’s Wildlife
Trust’s “Oxford Festival of Nature”.
Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details to
editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion in future issues.
telephone 724452 for inclusion in future issues.
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.30 Fiona
Wheeler, firstbotleybrownies@gmail.com
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6 -7.30 : Alison
Griffin 01865 379247
4th Oxford Scout Group
Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts
Scout Hall, Arnolds Way; mail@thefourth.org.uk
Website: http://www.thefourth.org.uk/
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Meet Fridays, Botley Baptist Hall Contact: Julie Tatham
01865 863074 or Amy Cusden 07887 654386
Badminton Club
Thurs 7-8pm at Matthew Arnold Sports Hall. Gary Clark
0777 3559 314 garryclark13@gmail.com
Books on Wheels R.V.S.
Free Library Service for housebound Ox. 248142
Botley Baby & Toddler
Group
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9.15–11am, SS Peter & Paul
Church Hall
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Jason Barley Ox. 242926 jbarley1@ sky.com or
Brendan Byrne Ox.792531 bb@bridewellconsulting.com
Botley Health Walks
Wednesday 9.30 a.m Contact: Briony 246497
Botley Library
01865 248142. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat,
otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).
Botley Singers
Thur 7.30, Botley Baptist Church. Angela Astley-Penny
Ox.242189 angastpen@aol.com
Chair-based Exercise Class
Tuesdays 10.30 – 11.30 a.m. Seacourt Hall
Contact Lizzie, Oxon Age UK, 07785 425601
Cumnor Choral Society
Friday 7.30 to 9.30 pm Contact: 01235 533726 or
07552 786127 or www.cumnorchoral.co.uk
Cumnor Chess Club
Thurs 7–9pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett
862788 www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk
Cumnor & District Historical
Society
Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old
School. 01865 724808
Cumnor Gardening Club
Details on website at http://cumnorgardens.org.uk/ or
phone Chirs Impey, 01865 721026
Fit Steps – exercise based
on dance
Friday 6–7pm, Seacourt Hall. Email Rosalie on
rosalie.crane@btinternet.com
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Wed 7.30 at Appleton village hall. C. Casson 01235
831352 or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk
Hill End Volunteer Team
Contact: David Millin on hill.end@oxfordshire.gov.uk,
call 01865-863510 or visit www.hillend-oec.co.uk
Let’s Sing! – singing group
Weds 2pm, WOCC, details Emily 07969 522368
or email emformusic@outlook.com
Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc
Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk
N Hinksey after school club
Mon–Thurs 3–6pm Contact: Oxford 794287
N Hinksey Art Group
Weds 10 – 12.00 W.I. Hall Tel: Christina 07931 707997
N Hinksey Bellringers
Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
Meets at weekends. Contact Voirrey Carr
07798743121 voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of
Annual Cricket Match & Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Horticultural
Society
Contact: Ann Dykes 01865 251821
anndykes@hotmail.com
N Hinksey Parish Council
Alan Stone 01865 861992 nhpcclerk@msn.com
N Hinksey Youth Club
Wednesdays at Arnold's Way pavilion, call Daz on
07791 212866 or see Facebook
Over Sixties Lunch Club
Fortnightly on Thursdays. Seacourt Hall. Marina
Bennett 01865 242312
Oxford Archers
Archery from beginner to World Champion
treasurer@oxford-archers.org
Oxford Flood Alliance
R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035
Oxford Flower
Arrangement Club
4th Thursday Cumnor.
Dympna Walker : 01865 865259
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays, twice
monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5–19 years. Contact Kevin Honner
438655, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com For Seniors,
training and Touch Rugby jamesy1976@hotmail.co.uk
Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis
Club, N Hinksey
Family club: Melanie Riste 848658 or
melanie_riste@hotmail.com
Parkinson’s Disease Soc
Contacts: Julie and John Tailor 01865 763394.
Raleigh Park, Friends of
David Brown raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Royal Voluntary Service
(West Way Day Centre)
Mon & Fri 10–3pm, Field House, 07740 611971.
oxfordshirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Saturdads
Elms Rd Children's Centre
Fun activities and trips for Dads and under 5’s
10 am–noon 1st Sat of month. Tel: 243955
Shotokan Karate club
6+ WOCC twice weekly Martyn King 07836 646450
St Andrew's playgroup
Friday mornings during term time at St Andrew's
Church, Orchard Rd standrewsplaytime@gmail.com.
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall Banso
el: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
West Oxford Bowls Club
Contact: Marion Bostock 436277
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall
07815 899698 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A
(Uni of the 3rd Age) Elizabeth Stevens, 739252
Which Craft?
Pavilion, Arnold’s way, third Monday, contact
whichcraft.botley@yahoo.co.uk
Women’s Institute (Botley)
Monthly, 1st Tuesday: Liz Manson, tel. 244175 or
email liz.manson@virginmedia.com